GRAND FORKS (AP) - The potato crop in the Red River Valley is said to be the best in a long time, both in production and in the quality of the spuds, even though acreage is down.

The government says North Dakota's potato acreage, totaling less than 80,000 acres, is down 15 percent from last year and the lowest since the mid-1950s.

Greg Campbell, who farms near Grafton, said yields are above average and the quality of the potatoes is good.

He said prices may drop a bit because potatoes already harvested in Minnesota are headed to market.

The potato market includes long Russets grown mostly for processing french fries, mostly on irrigated ground; red table spuds washed shiny and sold in 5- or 10-pound bags all over the nation and white chipping potatoes sold mostly under contract to the large processing companies such as Old Dutch and Barrel O'Fun.

This past week, red potato prices have been quoted at $18 to $20 per bag; most Russet and white spud growers contract privately with processors instead of selling on an open market.

Walsh County remains the number one spud county in the state, raising about a third of the crop.

"There are strong yields in the reds and the whites and the quality seems good. Digging conditions are good," Campbell said.

GLD Farms at Hoople specializes in white chipping potatoes.

The father-and-three-brothers-operation is the largest Red River Valley supplier to Old Dutch Foods in St. Paul, Minn., said Gene Olson, one of the brothers. While growers face rising costs, Olson said, this season's spuds are the "crop of a lifetime," with yields about 30 percent above average.

Olson and his brothers and father also raise dry edible beans and wheat. The relatively cool but sunny summer and timely rains in Walsh County have been ideal for potatoes.

Olson figures the prices of fuel, fertilizer, chemicals and land will remain high longer than the prices farmers receive for their crops.

North Dakota potato growers have seen more irrigated production, nearly all of it with Russet potatoes grown under contract for J.R. Simplot Inc. The spuds are mostly for french fries made at the Grand Forks plant that end up at McDonald's restaurants.

But the Red River Valley remains famous for its dry-land spuds.

GLD Farms began raising potatoes in 1981, digging, washing and storing them, then sending regular truckloads to St. Paul until it's time to plant another crop.

Olson and his partners negotiate a contract every fall with Old Dutch to grow the next season's spuds.

"Old Dutch is a wonderful customer," Olson said. "They have been more than fair with us. They take care of us, and we take care of them."